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One side of his mouth tipped up into a smirk. “It means it’s a good thing you’re in No Man’s Land, otherwise? This would be a different conversation.”
My mouth went dry.
“You live here,” he said. “You work here. We know you can’t choose sides… for now. But we’ll be waiting when you want to.”
The memory released me like being forced up from under the surface of water. That was nearly three years ago now. And true to Silver’s word, none of them had touched me. Ever.
No matter that I dreamed about what it would feel like if they did, and no matter if I’d tried to trick them into touching me. The closest we ever got was their eyes on me when I danced. Andfuck, I loved them watching me. When they were present, it felt like hands stroked over my skin with every movement and turn.
I imagined Grave, with his silence, dragging his mouth over my skin and causing me to make all the sounds he never did. Delta and his brutal, wiry strength bending me and taking full advantage of my flexibility. Being enveloped by Wraith and his massive form. Each one lived in my mind. Every fucking day.
All five of them were still looking at me as they got on their bikes and rode away.
“I swear on a siren’s tit, if you don’t fuck those men, I’m going to, Sky.”
I snorted a laugh, the heads in the cafe turning to stare at my friend’s outburst. “You know I can’t do that.”
“I don’t see why not,” she muttered before looking at me. “I know. Iknow, okay? But watching the chemistry between all of you is a bit much. I was turned on just being in proximity of the sexual energy you’re throwing at each other.”
“I am—” She cut me off with a glare. “Fine. But it doesn’t change anything.”
Maggie sighed. “God, it’s not even halfway through the shift yet, and we’ve already had the Legion, a literal flying kitten, and an eye-fucking show that might as well have been porn.”
I smirked and lifted my coffee in salute. “Just another day in No Man’s Land.”
“Ain’t that the truth. See you at home.”
Tucking the kitten closer to my chest, I took a sip of my coffee and pushed into the cool afternoon, the street now completely empty.
No Man’s Land indeed.
CHAPTER TWO
____________
SKYLA
CREAM PUFFS AND IRON DUST
The tiniest meow came from my chest, and I looked down at the kitten. She flapped her little feathery wings, not like she was trying to get away, but more like she was trying to get comfortable.
“I suppose I have to think of a name for you, huh?” Because there wasn’t any way I was giving her to a shelter. There weren’t any within the bounds of No Man’s Land anyway, and the ones close by? I didn’t trust them not to give her to someone who would play with her for sport, just like the Legion had been doing.
I pushed through the back door of the Crimson Petal, down the dark hallway and into the dressing room. Jessie and Clementine were already there, doing their make-up. We had plenty of time. The club opened soon, but it wouldn’t get busy until later in the evening, if you could ever call the Crimson Petal ‘busy.’ We kept the afternoon as an opportunity to practice on the pole.
For my friends, this place was a chance to improve their skills so they could get the hell out of this shithole and into better clubs. For me, it was the only way I could dance in this little patch of ground where I was safe.
“What have you got there?” Jessie asked, looking at me in the mirror.
I held the kitten up. “I took her away from the Legion outside Sip Happens. She needs a name, though. Figured I’d stash her here for now. Maggie couldn’t keep her behind the counter.”
Jessie stood and came over, petting the little white ball curling up adorably in my palms. “She looks like a cotton ball, honestly. Or a cream puff.”
“Cream puff,” I said with a laugh. “That’s cute. Can you hold her for a second?”
“Sure.” Jessie took her from me and immediately cuddled Cream Puff into her neck, letting the kitten scramble onto her shoulder.
She liked that? Noted.
